by Deandre Dean
Ginger wondered what her parents would do or if they’d be disappointed in her decisions of how she was handling things. In the past, her actions have indirectly gotten people hurt if not killed. Everyday Lucy’s death weighed heavily on her shoulders. Time was slipping away from her.
Each second she hesitated, things could get worst. This was the curse of controlling time, it made Ginger feel powerless and limited. Decision made as she closed her eyes, dug deep down and summoned the only other master of time.
As she waited for Spider, she felt foolish. If only she had listened to Hannah. Then maybe.. A sob broke her confident façade.
Another lost friend, and all because Ginger had been reckless. Hannah is dead and if not for the blood running through her veins, Ginger would have no piece of her to remember Hannah by.
Sure pictures were nice to look at, but the blood helped morph their bond into something unique and one of a kind. The air crackled with power as a ripple in time opened. Ginger had been feeling the expansion of her abilities ever since she started learning magic.
It felt like a paper-cut, it affected her personally that Spider had been abusing his powers every which way. Ginger could not stand to be in his presence. All the lies boiled up to the surface and she wanted to smack that entitled cocky smile off his face.
“Why did you summon me? What could you possibly want?” Spider demanded.
Put on a brave face. Stand up to him, she thought. Ginger cleared her throat and stated, “I need for you to tell me the truth. Who is Delia Kern and how is she related to your past that you so desperately want to hide.”
The confident façade on Spider’s face didn’t crack. She waited to see if he’d answer, but could tell he was weighing his options.
“How dare you? I don’t have to tell you anything, you pestilent little ingrate,” snarls Spider.
“Hmm,” Ginger says.
Spider asks, “What?”
Ginger smiles and answers, “You’re upset. Why? Because whatever you are trying to hide will become uncovered eventually. All I have to do is wait it out.”
He stared at her a moment before announcing, “Well played. Give the girl a prize, she actually has a morsel of intellect. Fine! You want to know, I’ll tell you.”
Chapter 7:
Sitting next to Spider in the park, Ginger wondered would he actually divulge into his past. He has lied before, so hopefully this time would be different.
Spider states, “You must understand I have made a ton of enemies so information can become a reason to torture and kill you. I was a different man when I was younger. I was like you, hopeful and optimistic. The world changed me. I made the mistake of making a blood bond.”
Ginger gasps.
“Exactly! My family is cursed and that is why I had to use Raymond Harman to protect them somewhere safe. You’ve seen alternate realties were good people on the other side could cause millions to lose their lives,” Spider takes a moment to pause.
Ginger considers his words and knew he was telling the truth. What he was saying made a lot of sense, and the fact he didn’t want to divulge into everything meant he still had some compassion buried deep down.
Spider starts again, “After making the blood bond, I entombed my treacherous friends in time. As long as they are trapped, my family is guaranteed protection. Yvette’s destiny was changed, but a curse runs deeper then simply changing the path you are on.”
Ginger asks, “Any chance you could kill them?”
He chuckles and responds, “The irony is that was my answer back then as well. Not without ending my own life. I am willing to make that sacrifice to protect hem, but first I must leave order and balance in my place.”
“So that is why you created Malcolm Silverdale?” Ginger wonders.
Spider answers, “Exactly. He is the best thing about creation. My Victor Frankstein moment was successful and a man who cares more about others then himself. If only I hadn’t made that blood bond. No point dwelling in the past. It was the lynch pin in my downfall. Afterwards I encountered the Alpha.”
“Alpha? What is that?” Ginger demands.
“Another enemy, one that wants to annihilate the balance and order I helped create. An Alpha is an Indigo-witch hybrid like yourself but possibly more powerful. I don’t know her limits, nor will I live long enough to discover.”
“What? So you just give up?” Ginger questions him.
“No, hardly I have you, my champion of hope. You can protect this world. You have all the knowledge and skills you need to thrive. Once I am dead, my family will be safe. You will find a way to stop the Alpha,” states Spider.
“First I got to defeat a God. That should be simple and then I get to face an Alpha witch more powerful then me, which isn’t possible. I am partially demon, witch, fairy, angel, and indigo. If I am not enough to defeat an Alpha, no one in this universe is,” Ginger responds.
“That isn’t true. Have faith, I know you can do it, “Spider replies.
Ginger laughs and says, “Gee, thanks.”
Chapter 8:
After leaving from talking to Spider, Ginger didn’t feel an ounce better. They restored balance, Delia Kern freed this Alpha and who knows what else but it took ripping the universe apart. Oscar had no secret weapon or anything to help her when she talked to him.
Jensen said the spell and faded away. What the hell was that about? Nothing made sense. What was Ginger suppose to do now? She confronted Spider and that didn’t work.
Wait!
Who said Spider was the problem? All the issues and secrets keep popping up from PHD. Project Human Development is at the root of all her troubles, so maybe she needs to be asking Shalice, Daniel and MaryAnne for help.
Could MaryAnne threaten Piper since she was powerless and the one to hire her? These were all interesting ideas, but no one singular path could be the right one. It was time to call the team and fill everyone in on the impending doom around the corner.
Once she made all the calls, it was around four. Ginger had to call her publisher about the second book. It was waiting time and she pitched her new book. It wasn’t ideal for a hot new writer to pop out a second novel before the first left the best seller list.
Hell second book hadn’t hit stores and she was in process of starting the next. Writing was her saving grace. The only thing keeping her sane with all that was going to inter life.
Stan, Peter, Gretchen, MaryAnne, Shane, Aaron, Penny, Shalice, Jurnee, Stacey, Malcolm, Adorsa, Mark, Stephen, Daniel and Lupio were at the house when six o’clock rolled around. Oscar and Nikki were at Legacy’s base of operations in Creston Time Ristlo holding down the fort if they needed anything.
Ginger didn’t want to deliver the news about Delia Kern, the Goddess or her friend she released, the Alpha but had no choice. Now that everyone was caught up, it was time to take action.
Malcolm had an idea about bring Jensen to them using Lupio’s indigo abilities with a super charged magic spell and the psychic knit. So Lupio would transport into Jensen’s body while Shane did the same to enhance the trip. The others would cast a spell to hopefully bring back Jensen.
Chapter 9:
The spell was cast. Everyone waited around anxiously as Shane and Lupio hoped to bring Jensen back by inhabiting his body momentarily. This plan was not one of Malcolm’s best but she had hope he knew what he was talking about.
They needed all the help they could get and working beside Piper and MaryAnne truly meant the world was turned on its axis.
Piper had been a non-stop complaining brat but once she laid eyes on MaryAnne, it stopped. So it’s true. MaryAnne Kris is by far the most intimidating woman that Ginger has ever met. Both Shalice and Piper seemed tenser with her in the room.
It seems MaryAnne would only revel what she knew about her project PHD when Jensen was by her side again. As much as Ginger hated to admit it, Ginger could feel how deeply MaryAnne loved him.
Yelling disrupted her train of thought. Ginger
dashed back into the living room, where Shane looked worn out.
“Delia. She’s on the way!” he said faintly before he collapsed. Luckily Mark and Peter managed to drag him to the sofa. He just needed a few moments to get his strength back.
“We did it,” Lupio says. Ginger turned to see him haul Jensen with MaryAnne caressing the side of his face.
“Incoming, yells Piper.
Ginger couldn’t think clearly but felt the ripple in the fabric of time. Delia was powerful, that wasn’t a question any longer.
“Everyone get ready,” shouts Aaron.
She felt a pounding. Delia was trying to break the force fields and protection spells around the house. The barriers were holding strong, but for how long she didn’t know.
“Indigos who have the strength, meet me outside in two minutes. Say goodbye, you might not be returning, “Ginger tells the group.
She quickly texted Lucas, “I love you.”
Ginger gives Yvette, Aaron, and Peter a hug goodbye. If anything happens to us, she asks Malcolm to get everyone out safely.
Ginger grabs Piper arm, twist it and looks her dead in the eyes. “You are a threat to her, or else your life wouldn’t be valuable. Why shouldn’t I throw you to that monster right this very instance,” questions Ginger.
Piper was in complete shock. I guess she never imagined I’d be the one to threaten her life.
“Time is ticking. Say something or face the consequence,” Ginger demands.
Piper yells out in pain and snarls, “Lucky I don’t have my powers. I need a Shane on my team. I should have known the pretty boy was more then a mere distraction. It’s okay, we can all die together.”
“Stubborn viper,” Ginger snaps and replies.
Mark towered over us before saying, “I can make her answer.”
“I know but we don’t have time,” she turns away from Piper.
Ginger walks into the unknown when she opens the front door with Mark, Piper, Shane, Lupio, Adorsa, and Stacey following.
Adorsa asks, “Tell me you have got a plan?”
Ginger grins and nods.
Chapter 10:
Delia looked pissed in the same light blue dress enhancing her blue eyes. The wavy blond hair matched her alabaster skin.
Delia demands, “So you are the ones trying to interfere with my plans? Give me Piper and Jensen now!”
No one moved a muscle.
Delia sighs and huffs, “Fine. So be it.”
She turns the grass around her into a blazing fire which spread all the way down the block.
“You may be able to keep me out but what about them?” Delia questions.
Mark states, “I got it.”
Using his pyrokinesis to contain the fire and brought the flames roaring back toward Delia who didn’t flinch. Her body absorbs the fire like nothing just happened. Piper pushes past Shane and Stacey at her side.
“I’ll take care of this. Allow a true master to show you how it’s done. Shane if you will,” Piper turns to him.
He looks from Piper to Stacey to Mark, when his eyes landed on Ginger. She nods as Shane allows her access to her powers. Penny drops the shields around them. Piper conjures a sword and runs screaming while charging to her.
Delia looks shocked momentarily but summons a set of police batons. Piper lashes out while Delia whacks Pipers in the arm. Piper barely reacts but tightens her left hand on the sword and swings again with ease. The sword connects with Delia’s arm, but the wound instantly heals.
“Damn,” says Adorsa.
Mark asks, “Are we just going to watch or help?”
Lupio shrugs and suggests, “I am always down for a fight.”
“But should we help her is the real question,” states Ginger.
“Why not,” Stacey yells.
Stacey looks at Mark and he nods, pushing Piper out of the way so Stacey can have a chance to try her powers. Stacey tries to break down her molecules in her body which makes Delia yell out in agony.
So she can be hurt, thought Ginger.
Shane tried neutralized her powers, but he wasn’t strong enough for a God. Lupio tried to inhabit her body to allow Stacey to finish her off, which neither worked alone with much success.
Penny start chanting to enhance Stacey’s magic. Ginger pushes with her mind to excite the pain that could weaken Delia’s mind. Now Mark could break into her mind. Delia kept trying to deflect all their attacks with not much success as Stacey was hurting her the most. Adorsa started using her empathic targeting to also weaken her mind.
It finally started to work when Delia collapsing to the burnt grass with a slight nose bleed. Gretchen ran outside in that moment to block all their abilities.
This caused everyone to stop.
“What the hell!” demanded Piper.
Chapter 11:
Gretchen huffs, pushes a few stray strands of hair out from infront of her face. She states, “What will killing her solve?”
Nobody could answer her. In that moment, Ginger felt guilty because she should have tried to find an alterative solution as well. Death is so final, no chance for redemption and so many people had died already.
“What do you suppose we do? She is a God after all,” declares Shane.
“I don’t know, but not this,” Gretchen looks them each in the face as she answers.
Ginger clears her throat causing her eyes to turn to her and says, “I have to agree with Gretchen. There has to be a better solution but I have to agree with Shane as well, our powers may not be enough to stop her.”
Mark responds, “Maybe not. I however may have a solution.”
All heads turned to him as he explained his plan, but only he could do this. They would use the psychic knit to help enhance his abilities while he went through Delia’s mind and the past.
They stayed outside where the others would be safe. Delia could be affected by their powers and magic did stand a chance against her. Mark took a few calming breaths and slowly touched Delia so not to cause her to last out at anyone. Ginger remembered his warm touch and how his incredible lips caused small fires to go off each time his lips brushed against hers’.
Mark Liam GrimJones was an amazing man but he would never be hers’. She remembered the way he was receptive of opening up to her in small doses. The intense feeling of is skewering through her memories was more intimate then any sex she had.
That was part of his allure. She came close to sex with him numerous occasions, but this man knew every facet of her body and soul. These weren’t just empty words when the man had experience every memory alongside her.
Mark can absorb all memories and knowledge a person had. No secrets could be had if he touched you. He was the ultimate life explorer. In not just see the past, but to take a walk in your shoes. Mark yelped as he let go.
“So much pain and misery,” Mark barely let slips from his lips as he tried to regain his normal composure.
Delia says, “Now you understand me better but this won’t fix what’s to come next. Cherish your lives. The past will shred you to pieces.”
Mark and Penny did some spell to make Delia human, so Aaron could contain her on murder charges. It all seemed so simple but Ginger could feel how eaten up Mark was inside. Sure Adorsa could tap into emotions, but she operated by not allowing them to overpower her.
Ginger wished sometimes she wasn’t so concerned. Hannah’s last conversation about her compassion being her true strength and trusting her intuition in every situation came rushing back. She just hoped that were true.
Mark turned to her, the look in his eyes confirmed they’d be talking real soon. Adorsa linked her hand in his and pulled him away. Probably back to the apartment. If she hadn’t told Lucas she’d call later, she would have stopped by his place. Ginger could always talk to Mark once Adorsa went off to work.
Time to be an adult, and for Ginger to face her problems.
Chapter 12:
Once everyone went home, Stacey went upstairs to check
on Judith Annabelle Darkholme. Judy was so beautiful, perfect and innocent. Ginger hadn’t held her a lot, but she loved her to pieces. Tomorrow she would spend the day with the family.
Jensen was official home. Piper was finally no longer their concern. MaryAnne was conformed, or so Ginger was trying to give her the benefit of the doubt. She was still skeptical but second chances and all that.
Could Ginger accept the past and move on?
No, the thought that PHD was apart of this. Delia was no longer a threat, but now she had to worry about this Alpha. Take a few days to recuperate and talk to Mark. Try to figure out a game plan.
